Fundamental of the Week: Pitching

Grip

Grip ball with two fingers across the seams
Can grip ball across the wide seams or narrow seams. Practice
i. Rotate ball in hand until you find the seams.

Stability

Head stays in the center of the pitchers body the pitchers head should not be to far in front, behind or left/right (tilt) through the delivery.
Glove should be out in front and chin should go to the glove. Glove hand should not swim out to the side. Practice
· Two Knee Drill-throw to a partner or fence on two knees. Work on keeping the head in the middle of the body with the glove out front.

· One Knee Drill-same princples as the Two Knee Drill. Bring throwing arm to opposite knee when finishing.

Stance

Arch of foot is even with big toe of pivot foot.
Turn pivot foot and lift leg to waist.
When leg lifts, arms lift but mitt doesn’t go higher then pitchers chin.
We want to try to get down the hill as far as possible and as quick as possible.
Elbows should stay equal and opposite throughout the delivery. Practice
· Line Work

a. Clock Stance

b. Dry Pivot

1. Work on the proper way to pivot by having pitchers get the throwing position without a ball.

c. Have pitchers throw into fence from the lines.

· Crow Hops and Throw

a. Pitchers place left foot (1 foot) behind rubber and right foot (2 feet) behind rubber. Push up forward with left foot and drive with right foot (for right hand pitcher).

· Excellerated Walk Behinds

a. For right hand pitcher, start from side position with elbows equal and opposite and glove in front. Right foot moves behind left foot as quick as possible and explode to the plate.

Ø Teaching points to look for:

· Check to see if head stays in the center of body during delivery

a. If the head tilts left or right the ball will be inside or outside.

· Glove should stay in front of body with equal and opposite elbows.

a. Ball will be high or low depending on glove position.

Draw a line down the center of the mound. The left foot (for right hand pitcher) shouldn’t cross over that line.

Softball Pitching Fundamentals

Grip

Grip the ball on the “C” with three fingers
Grip the ball with the pads of your fingers on the stitches

The Pitch

Start with both feet on mound-right foot in front, left slightly behind


Hands are apart before the pitch
Bring hands together to begin wind-up
As your pitching arm comes foward, so does your glove arm and left foot
Glove hand stops parallel to the ground
Keep pitching arm straight
Windmill goes right past ear and right past hip
When arm reaches hip, release the ball and snap your wrist
After releasing the ball, follow through straight up to shoulder by snapping your wrist and elbow

Problems

If the ball is going too high—the ball is being released too late
If the ball is too low---the ball is being released to soon
If the ball is inside or outside:
§ Make sure to step straight toward home plate

Make sure the arm stays straight and passes right next to the ear and right next to the hip